The purpose of this Geriatric Leadership Academic Award is to promote the ability of Dr. Diane E. Meier to build a strong program of research and training in palliative medicine and aging at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Abundant evidence of the need for academic leadership is evident in the almost total lack of research and education in this area, despite the obvious demographic and clinical forces mandating such attention. The award will permit the development of a stable program of clinical research and training, and provide critical validation of the importance of faculty leadership of this work both within Mount Sinai as well as in academic medicine. There is a critical mass of established interest in research and training in palliative medicine and aging, as demonstrated by the number and diversity of research initiatives, clinical programs, and educational efforts already in place at Mount Sinai. In order to organize and enhance these efforts, development of a formal support infrastructure and training process is necessary. To these ends Dr. Meier will establish a program that fosters clinical research, collaboration between investigators, and mentorship and training of new investigators through the 3 specific aims of this proposal: 1) Conduct of collaborative multispecialty clinical research in palliative medicine and aging; 2) Establishment of a research training program and mentorship for new investigators with database, programming, and statistical infrastructure support; and 3) Leadership of a medical school-wide educational effort designed to bring effective teaching in palliative medicine to trainees at all levels, and to evaluate and disseminate these models.